Heir Apparent
by TheBreekachu
Summary: Simba didn't finish the job, and now Scar lives to plot his revenge. Scar still holds resentment in his heart at not being the heir to his father's kingdom, so he makes up for it by choosing Nuka, his second-born, to succeed him. Kovu tries to prove himself to his father as the rightful heir by killing Simba, but what consequences will this cause the young lion?


Okay guys, this is my first ever fanfiction! Please bear with me, as I'm not that experienced yet,  
but I'll keep this short and sweet. On with the story!

* * *

Chapter 1: Second Star to the Right

A howl of pain ripped through the desolate air, sending millions of termites scattering into the midnight sky of the Outlands. A single voice pierced the air when the roar dissipated, "PUSH! You're almost there!" The milk-white lioness practically screamed at her panting and squirming queen. Other figures could be seen standing at a distance, the rest of the pride looking on with split emotions of joy and fear.

Another howl rang through the air, as the Lion Queen's body convulsed one last time as a small bundle of tawny and black fur pushed out of her. She raised her head, turning her body towards the tiny little creature that lay beside her, and gently began cleaning the cub.

"Congratulations, Zira. You've another son. What shall you call him?" The white lioness spoke kindly to the new mother, bowing her head. She raised her head to look at her queen once again, locking eyes with her matriarch.

Zira opened her mouth to speak, but before the words escaped her mouth, another joined the conversation. A dark-furred lion with a black mane sauntered up next to Zira, green eyes shining brightly even through the dark. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he gazed down at the tiny cub that was now nestled closely to Zira's stomach.

"His name is Nuka. And he will be my heir."

* * *

A solitary figure slunk through the green stalks of the savannah, barely visible despite the full moon that illuminated the night. For a brief second light reflected of the figures eyes, steel-like determination shining in the lion's emerald hues before being lost again in the shadows.

His paw-steps were swift, gliding soundlessly over the grass covered ground as he searched for his prey. He had spent 3 days watching its habits, learning where it went, how often, and at what times would be the best for what he had planned. And now all of his hard-work and patience would pay off. His dark coloring aided him greatly; his coffee-colored mane and light-brown pelt blending seamlessly with the shadows of the plain.  
He lifted his nose to the gentle breeze that was racing across the plains, searching for the one scent that he

hoped that he would find this late in the evening. His eyes snapped open and a small, self-satisfied smirk spread across his lips as he detected his prey. He lowered his body to the ground, placing one paw after another carefully and quickly in front of each other, guiding himself towards his unsuspecting victim.

Finally, after a few minutes of stalking through the lush growth of the Pride Lands, he spotted another solitary figure strolling through the field, eyes pointed towards the stars and mind obviously wandering among the clouds.

The young lion crouched underneath an outcropping of rocks, hidden yet again amongst the shade, rolling his shoulders and kneading the ground with his razor-sharp claws. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, and his prey was none the wiser to the mortal danger it was in.

The dark lion crept along the grass-line, careful to keep out of his victims peripheral vision, silently growing closer and closer. His cold, green eyes glinted in the moonlight, a malicious, toothy grin covering his face as he prepared himself for his strike. Without warning he released his bunched muscles, propelling himself through the air with extended arms, claws unsheathed. He rammed into the other figure, a muffled thud reverberating through the still air, sending both of the lions tumbling across the ground. The younger of the two clearly had the upper-hand, pinning the older lion down with his thorn-like claws, which dug into the flesh of his prey; fresh blood began to bubble up out of the wounds around the talons.

The attacking lion wasted no time, leaning down his head and clamping his jaws around the others throat, jerking upwards with enough strength to rend flesh from bone, leaving a gaping, bloody hole where the victims throat had once been. Crimson covered the young lion's muzzle as he gazed down at his victim, a disappointed look manifesting in his eyes.

"Huh, I thought he would put up a bigger fight than this." He mumbled to himself, shrugging, and pushing himself off of the now-dead lion. He shook his head to and fro, littering the ground with his victims blood. He glanced back at his prey, gazing into the lion's sightless, empty eyes one last time before beginning his trek back home.

His mind wandered to places that were darker than the night he was walking in as he made his way home to the uninhabited Outlands, abandoning his earlier stealth in favor of a leisurely stroll. He felt accomplished, but at the same time he couldn't shake the feeling of dread and guilt. He had achieved what his father had always wanted, but he wondered what kind of consequences would become of all of it, and if this would really change anything for himself. He thought again of his brother, but in all honesty the cub never really left his mind, and a disgusted grimace twisted his face. He had always been the wiser choice, being stronger, smarter, and more militant than the insolent little pest his father insisted on being his heir. A deep rumble formed in his throat, his irritation showing in his hunched form, distracting him from the being staring at him in the shadows of a nearby tree.

He was pulled away from his family issues as a chuckle echoed in the clearing around him, seemingly coming from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. He growled in response spinning around, eyes piercing through the dark in an attempt to find the source of the voice. His claws unsheathed themselves automatically as his body entered into a combat stance without him even being aware of it.

"And the pawn overtakes the king." A figure almost slithered out of the branches of a tree, grace clinging to the dappled-golden coat of a rather large leopard as he made his approach on the young lion.

"And just who are you?" He snarled, baring his fangs in aggression as the stranger sat directly in front of him. His ears flattened and his anger subsided, only to be replaced by confusion. If this was one of the kings loyal subjects, then why was he not even attempting to slaughter him on sight? And why was he so relaxed?

"It's impolite to ask someone's name without giving theirs in return." The leopard said, lazily bringing up a paw to his face and swiping his tongue across it before rubbing it over his right ear. His sky-colored hues looked back toward the lion, no emotion showing within his gaze, before he spoke again. "And I'd like to know whom to thank for ridding this land of that paranoid pig."

The lion was taken aback by the last statement, shock clearly showing on his face. "K-Kovu. And I didn't do it for anyone but myself, so your thanks aren't needed." He stated in a monotoned voice, turning back on his original course back to the hell-hole he called home. But that wouldn't be for much longer, he realized, for him and his family would soon be overtaking the Pride Lands once again. With this realization in mind, his pace quickened, ready to be in greener pastures and his stomach not barely sated, but full of the nutrition he needed. As he ran, a voiced echoed behind him, the leopard leaving him with a parting message that he wouldn't realize would be a life-and-death situation until much later.

"Well, Kovu, may the kings light your pawsteps. And if you're ever in need, you can find me in the northern-most tree. The name's Kivuli."

* * *

By the time he crossed the scarred tree trunk that separated the Outlands and the Pride Lands, his muscles burned and his breath was labored, but he was determined to finish the mission that he had set out on. Small cuts had appeared on the pads of his paws, leaving small drops of blood in his wake.

"FATHER!" He roared out, slowing to a trot as he approached the giant termite hill that was where all the pride slept. The sun was just now beginning to shine it's deep red rays onto the land, bathing the dusty earth in blood-  
hued shades. It was almost as if the sun itself knew of what had just occurred.

"FATHER!" He yelled out again, small, flying insects scattering into the air from various spots of the hill from the force of his voice. He stood at the entrance, panting heavily as he prepared himself to call out again. Just as he inhaled a large amount of air, lungs filling to capacity, ready to unleash themselves in a roar, a lithe figure drowsily slunk out of the shadows of the cavern, eyes flashing in irritation at being woken up at such a godforsaken hour.

"Yes, yes, I'm up. Now what is it you want?" The older lion growled grumpily, baring his teeth in agitation as he sat infront of Kovu. His attention was quickly drawn to the crimson the colored his son's muzzle, and his emerald eyes darted to meet ones that matched his own. "What's with the mess, boy? Did you get yourself in a tussle with those mangy, flea-pelted hyena's again?" But he knew that this was not the case, for there were no visible marks of a fight on the younger lion, and the hyena's always atleast got a few good swipes in.

Kovu sat for a moment, catching his breath, excitement rolling off of him in waves as he anticipated the monumentus event that was about to occur. A flicker of doubt passed through his mind for a brief moment, causing him to pause for a second too long. What if nothing changed? What if this had all been for naught? He began to second guess himself, but an impatient grunt from his father pushed him onward.

"Nothing of the sorts. I've done it, Father."

"And what, pray tell, have you exactly done? This better not be a waste of my time, Kovu." The dark lion sounded skeptical, clueless as to what had exactly been accomplished and why his incompetent son was insisting on dragging this out instead of just spitting it out. He tapped one claw on the ground, making a small dent in the earth beneath his paw as he impatiently sat in waiting.

Kovu took a steadying breath, closing his eyes in preparation before showing Scar a toothy grin.

"I've killed Simba."

* * *

Well, that's the end of chapter one! Please rate and review to let me know what your guys think!  
I'm definitely open to any criticism and/or help.  
Well, hopefully I'll have the next chapter up within the next week, so stay tuned!


End file.
